A banner showing starving North Korean children and a rocket is displayed on a street in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. North Korea's top military body warned Thursday that the regime is poised to conduct a nuclear test in response to U.N. punishment, and made clear that its long-range rockets are designed to carry not only satellites but also warheads aimed at striking the United States. The writing reads " Fired North Korean rocket for whom?" (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Envoy: SKorean president-elect won’t tolerate NKorean provocations but is open to dialogue

SEOUL, South Korea – A special envoy to South Korea’s president-elect says the new government in Seoul will not tolerate North Korean provocations but will continue to push for dialogue.

Rhee In-je told The Associated Press and selected news outlets Thursday in Davos, Switzerland, that President-elect Park Geun-hye is urging North Korea to refrain from conducting a nuclear test that could only worsen the tensions on the Korean Peninsula. On Thursday, North Korea’s powerful National Defence Commission declared plans to conduct a nuclear test and more rocket launches.

But Rhee says Park’s administration wants to leave the window open for constructive dialogue and to offer Pyongyang medical and food aid.

Relations between the two Koreas plummeted during the administration of current President Lee Myung-bak. The new South Korean president takes office next month.